Frozen?

     Lately, rhythmic lyrics daintily waft about the halls of our home. Sounds of singing echo off the walls and wood floors. Delighted children dance and prance, as if no one is watching them. But I am watching, and joyfully might I add. 
     The lyrics come from the hit theatrical release, "Frozen." Even I catch myself humming a tune now and then. Alright, I actually sing along from time to time, yet nobody notices. The favorite flavor of the month is the song, "Let It Go." With that in mind, I turn your attention in another direction.
     Recently, we were victims of the wicked polar vortex. Apparently global warming allowed for these arctic winds circling the North pole to break apart long enough for an arctic blast of epic proportions. Needless to say, even in the south we experienced some of the coldest air in recent memory. Roll on global warming. But,I digress. Anyway, on a Monday morning in early January, I was driving to my weekly pastor's conference when I noticed something peculiar.
     In a low lying area that we locals refer to as the bottom, all the stagnant water was frozen solid. The Obion river consistently overflows its banks, and this water absent from its' true source and having no appropriate mouth succumbed to the wrath of the polar vortex. With nowhere to go but in the ground, this water could not withstand the adverse conditions hounding away every chilling second. But that is not all that I saw that morning.
     I knew the river itself was just ahead. I wondered if some water along the banks might be frozen. The building anticipation with each revolution of the tires gave way to the visible affirmation before my eyes. The flowing water flowed smoothly through the river bed. No doubt you could test your membership in the polar bear club by jumping in the river, but the flowing water had not been impeded by the arctic blast. And that's when the Lord began to teach me an important lesson. 
     Rivers have a source and a mouth. The source is what feeds the river at its beginning. The mouth is where the river flows into a larger body of water. Think on that for a minute. Keep thinking. Time's up. As followers of Jesus Christ we have a source and a mouth. Our source is the Lord Jesus Christ. Hebrews 12:2 says, "...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." God, through Jesus Christ, writes your story. Your story is His story. Listen carefully. Jesus astonished his disciples with these words of truth in John 15:5, "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from me you can do nothing." Apart from Christ, we freeze solid. And why is that?
     As we indicated, rivers also have a mouth. Therefore, followers of Christ have a mouth, a place where we empty ourselves. That place is in love and service to the brethren, our neighbors, friends, co-workers, and even our enemies. In this sense, the bigger mouth you have the better. For some, that should come as really good news. But don't take my word for it. Galatians 5:13 states, "For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." Peter instructs us in his first letter that love covers a multitude of sins, and that we should employ our spiritual gifts to serve one another as good stewards of God's grace. And Jesus taught and embodied this amazing truth in Mark 10:43-45, "But it is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." You have a source, an outlet, and a supreme example in Christ. Remember, what we do for these brothers of Christ, even the least of them, we do unto Christ. 
     When adverse conditions flow down on top of us, we can keep moving because we gain constant nourishment from our source, even as we empty ourselves into our mouth, the people around us. God has made us to be channels of His love and grace. Let us stay within that channel, for if we overflow the banks we no longer have a direct source or mouth. We become stagnant. In the cold that water freezes. In the heat it becomes stale, and then it dries up. Are you frozen? Then let it go for God's glory. Connect daily to Christ and empty daily into those around you. To God be the glory.